More than 400 years ago, Oxford University opened the doors of one of its most enduring contributions to civilisation: the Bodleian Library. The Bodleian is one of the world’s foremost centres of learning, preserving the intellectual riches of many cultures and many ages while embracing the new forms of knowledge now available to scholars.
The Bodleian Libraries house an extraordinary collection of books, maps, manuscripts and journals covering every conceivable aspect of human endeavour spanning most of the world's cultural traditions, from an ancient Indian mathematical text containing the oldest recorded origins of the symbol 'zero' to the largest collection of original Tolkien texts and drawings in the world. The Libraries have also digitised over one million items from their collections to provide unlimited access to researchers anywhere in the world.
None of what we do can be achieved without the generosity of our donors – whether you are a one-time supporter or a lifetime Patron. Philanthropy from individuals, companies, trusts or foundations helps us to build new libraries, curate exhibitions, conserve the collection, acquire new items and improve our outreach programmes.
The Bodleian Libraries welcome donations from people who want to help us safeguard the treasures of the past for current and future generations. We hope you will join us in this important endeavour.
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